Package receiving and delivering device.



Patented Aug. I4, |900.

No. 655,9ul.

C. E. HUXLEY. PACKAGE-RECEIVING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

(Appvlimion med oct. 9, i899.)

3 Sheetsr-Sheet4 Il.

(No Model.)

m m N No. 655,90I. Patented Aug. I4, |900. C. E. HUXLEY.

PACKAGE RECEIVING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

` (Application tiled-Det. 9, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

V lll/([1111 afemdey IIIIHIII O l@ yf No. 655,901. Patented Aug. I4, |900. C. E. HUXLEY.

PACKAGE RECEIVING ANDYDE'LIVERING DEVICE.

(Application led Oct',` 9, 1899.) .(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

w E -llllllll-IIIIIIIIIIIIH rrr CHARLES E. I-IUXLEY, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS.

PACKAGE RECEIVING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 655,901, dated August 14, 1900.

Application filed October 9, 1899. Serial No. 732,996. (No model.) I

`of Quincy, in the county of'Adams and State of Illinois, have invented certain" new and useful Improvements in Package Receiving and Delivering Devices; and I do herebyde-- clare that the following is a t'ull7 clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for receiving mail-bags `or other packages from railwaycars when in full speed and discharging same therefrom.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a mail-car, showing my improved receiving and discharging apparatus at the side thereof. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. l with the inclosure shown in section. Fig. 3 is a detail broken plan View of the receiving and discharging apparatus which i's located at the side of the track. Fig. 4t is a detail section taken on line 4 il. of Fig. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the upper end of the receiving and discharging apparatus, showing a mail-bag in position thereon. Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. ft. Fig. 7 shows the receiving device which is located on the car. Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line S 8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a front View of. the discharging device which is located on the car. Fig. l0 is a detail planview with section. taken on line 1010 of Fig. 9.

Asshown in the drawings, A indicates as a whole a mail-car, and at the side of the railway-track upon which said car travels at points thereon where mail is received and delivered are located a plurality of receiving and discharging devices, the construction being such that a mail-bag may be discharged therefrom and received-upon the car and another mailsbag discharged from the car and received by said device. Y

It is one of the objects of this invention t provide in a single device which is located at the side of the railwaytrack mechanism which will both receive a mailbag from a passing car and deliver another bag to the vsaid car, said mechanism being so constructed that the delivery7 of the mail-bag from the car to the device will act to bring the mailbag which is to be delivered to the car in position to be engaged by the usual or any preferred means for receiving mail-bags upon a car. y f

As herein shown, such receiving and discharging device consists of an upright post B, having at its upper end a radial arm C, which is provided with means at its outer end for receiving a mail-bag from a passing car, and having also arms D D', which when in position hold the mail-bag thereon radially from the post. Said arms D D are provided with lugs d d at their outer ends, which are engaged by the rings on the ends of the mail-bag E in the usual manner, and said bags extend `in the direction toward which the car is moving. Said arms D D when in position to hold a mail-bag extend at right angles to the arm C, which carries the receiving mechanism and is so located that when a mail-bag has been delivered to the said receiving mechanism on the arm C and said arm swung out of its operative position it will when it has moved through an arc of ninety degrees carry the delivering-arms D D into position to deliver the mail-bag to thereceiving device on the car with said arms eX- tending toward the car-track. The deliverin g-arms D DI are arranged to be thrown when not in use outwardly in planes parallel with the post B, so as to be out of the wayof passing trains. As herein shown, said arms are hinged at their inner ends to vertical plates or strips B2 B3, which are connected with the upper end of the post by means of laterallydirected parts b b,consisting,as herein shown, of right-angle bends which are connected side by side with said post. Pins, d* below the inner end of the upper arm afford a shoulderl to limit the downward movement of the arm. Then the arms B2 B3 are not enarm in its vertical position.

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portions c c' thereof.

are provided on their remote surface with dog C4, carried by the arm C, is adapted for depressions for engagement with the rings of the mail-bag, and desirably springs cl2 (Z3 will be provided, which overlie said depression and aid to hold said rings of the mailbag in engagement with the lugs under usual conditions.

Next describing the receiving mechanism which is attached to the arm C, these parts are made as follows: C' C2 designate gripping-jaws mounted on the outer end of the arm C and in position when said arm O extends toward the track to receive the mailbag from the delivering device on the passing car, the jaws for this purpose extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the arm and opposite to the direction of movement of the car. Said jaws are each shown as made of the same shape and. comprise curved central portions c c and divergently-extending end portions c2 c2, the parts between said curved and straight divergent portions being in contact with each other. The outer extremity of the divergent end portions are located at a sufficient distance apart to receive a mail-bag and to provide for any lateral deviation of such bag from a true line due to the swinging of the car. The outer jaw C, as here shown, is attached rigidly to the arm, while the inner jaw C2 is pivoted to the' said arm by means of a pivot-pin c, so that the forward end thereof may be swung away from and toward said stationary arm G, and thereby permit said mail-bag to pass between said arms, Where it will be held between the curved The rear ends of said jaws are shown as extending beyond the arm C, and a spring C3 is applied to said rear end of the arms to normally hold the front ends thereof in contact with each other, said spring being attached to a screw C5 in the upper face of the arm C.

The arm C, which carries the receivingjaws, and the delivery-arms D D are not attached directly to the post B, but are connected with a sleeve B4, which sleeve is rotatively mounted on the reduced upper end b3 of said post. Said arm C and the arms D D are connected rigidly to the said sleeve, so that the swinging arm C will act to give corresponding movement to the arms D D. It is necessary, therefore, to lock but one of the arms, and in the present instance the arm C is adapted to be locked rigidly to the post, and such locking means are constructed to be automatically released when amail-bag is received from a passing car, so that the discharging device may be moved into position to discharge another bag upon the car.

The locking means herein shown consists of a disk E, which is connected rigidly with the upper end b2 of' the post by means of a key e. Said disk is provided on its periphery with two notches E E2, which are separated a distance of ninety degrees of the circumferential disk, and with which notches a alternate engagement to lock the arms in eitherof their two positions. As before stated, said dog CA1 is adapted to be released from the disk when the mail-bag is received by the jaws C C2, and the momentum of said bag is utilized to swing the receiving device out of its operative position and the delivering device into its operative position. This is accomplished in the present instance by the following mechanism: C5 designates a horizontal tripping-lever made of curved form and pivoted between its ends to a pin or bolt c4. Said lever, as herein shown, is pivoted in a horizontal longitudinally-arranged slot in the outer end of the arm C. One end c6 of said lever extends laterally beyond the arm C, between the receiving-jaws C C2, while the other end c7 is connected with the dog Cl by means of a link or connecting-rod Said outer end c6 of the lever is provided with a curved plate cs, which is located below the gripping-jaws and extends at its outer ends beyond the vertical planes of the inner margins of said jaws, so that when the jaws are opened to receive the mail-bag said bag will strike against said plate o8. Vhen the mail-bag strikes against the divergent ends c2 c3 of said jaws, it will open said jaw C2 by reason of the yielding of said jaw, and when it is entered between the curved portions of said jaws it will strike the plate cs, which will swing said lever C5 outwardly and release said dog from the notch E, with which it will be engaged when in position to receive the mail-bag, and the force or momentum of the bag will swing the arm C around until arrested by engagement of the dog with the notch E2, as shown in Fig. 3. The same movement brings the delivery-arms into position for delivering another bag carried thereby to a receiving device on the car. After the bag has been delivered therefrom said arms will assume vertical positions and be out of the way of passing cars.

A spring C7 is applied to the dog Cl to normally hold the same in engagement with either one of the notches E E2. As herein shown, the arm C is provided with a longitudinal passage or opening,within which said said spring C7 is located. Said dog C4 is attached to a rod C8, which has sliding engagement at its outer end with a nut C9, between which and the dog the spring C7 is interposed. Said nut is made adjustable and has screw-threaded engagement with the interior of said longitudinal passage, so that the strengthof said spring may be varied to hold the dog in engagement with the notches with greater or less pressure, as desired. The arm is provided on one side thereof with a slot o9, and said nut is provided in its periphery with Spanner-holes, whereby they may be engaged by a suitable instrument to adjust the same. The engagement of the dog with the periphery of the disk produces friction, which acts.

as a brake to retard the movement of said arm.

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When the train is running at a high rate of "speed, it will be desirable that the spring be placed under greater tension than when the train is running at a lower rate of speed, so that the friction due to the pressure of the dog against the periphery of the disk will act to partially arrest the movement of the arm, and thereby decrease the force of the impact of the dog against the notch E2. As a means of enhancing such brake action as the arm C is approaching its final position I have herein shown the part e' of the periphery of the disk between the notches E' E2 as made eccentric to the post R in a manner to increase the tension of the spring as the dog approaches the notch E2. This construction in connection with the adjustment of the spring enables me to adjust the device to correspond with the different rates of speed of trains which may deliver mail to the said device.

I prefer to inclose said device to protect the same from the elements. Said inclosure is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as consisting ofv side walls F, a rear wall E', a top wall F2, and a bottom wall F3, upon which the post is supported. As an additional means of breaking the momentum given the arm C when thrown in its inoperative position the rear wall of said inclosure may be provided with a springbuffer F4, as shown in Fig. l, against which the rear ends of the receiving-jaws strike.

In Figs. l, 2, and 3 the device is shown in the position in which it will be when the car is alongside of the same and hasjust received a mail-bag from the car and the delivering device is in position for a mail-bag to be delivered therefrom to a receiving device on the car.

Referring now to the devices ou the car for delivering and receiving the mail, these parts are made as follows: The car herein shown is provided with two doors A A', one near the front and the other near the rear end of the car. At the front door of the car I provide a delivering device consisting of arms G G', hinged to a strip G2, which is attached to the door-jamb and in position to hold a mail-bag X, as shown in Fig. 9. The upper arm G is provided with a spring-hinge, so that it will be swung upwardly out of the way when not in position to hold the mail-bag, while the lower arm swings downwardly in a vertical position by its own weight, as in a prior construction.

The receiving device on the car, which is designated as a whole by the letter H, is substantially like that employed on the local devices. Said device consists of a radial arm I, which is pivoted at its inner end to a post J,

which latter is connected with the rear doorjamb of the car, and receiving-jaws K K', which are made like the jaws C' C2, before described. said jaws in their closed position, it being like the spring C3, before described. L designates a tripping-lever pivotedto the arm I, which is .mail-bag therefrom.

,7a designates the spring which holds connected, by means of a link M, with a dog N, which is adapted for engagement with notches o o' in a disk O, which is connected rigidly with the post J. Said leverl L is provided at its outer end with a curved plate Z,

which extends under the receiving-jaws K K'. The operation of this device is like that before described. The mail-bag when received between the jaws strikes the plate Z and serves, through the lever L and the link M, A

' ver and receiving device will be located inside the car and easy of access to remove the The spring t may be made like the spring C7, before described, whereby the tension of the spring may be adjusted to correspond with the speed of the train. The notches o o' may be located at such distances apart as may be desired in order to arrest the arm at a point mostconvenient in each particular instance.

In case the arm is swung completely into the car, as indicated by the construction shown in Fig. 7, the door may be left open to permit such movement. It may be desirable, however, in inclement weather to keep the door closed, and I have shown one construction for permitting the arm to be swung in- IOO wardly into the car notwithstanding the main i door is closed. Said means consist of auxiliary leaves or doors P P, which are connected at their upper and lower edges to the upper and lower edges of an opening in the main door A' by means of spring-hinges p and open inwardly away from each other. Vith this construction when the arm is swung inwardly by reason of engagement of the receivingjaws with the stationary mail-bag the rear ends of said jaws 'will strike said doors and force the same open to permit the receiving device and the mail-bag to pass therethrough and into the car, after which said springhinges will close the doors, as shown in Fig. 2. The position of said car receiving device when located inside of the car is shown in dotted lines in Eig. 7.

Should it ever become desirable or necessary to receive mail from and deliver it to two or more cars in the same train, this may be accomplished by providing as many receiving and delivering devices as there are cars in the train to and from which mail is to be delivered and received. With this arrangement the first car on the train from which mail is to be delivered and received will deliver t-he mail to the first device and receive it therefrom, the second car receiving its mail from the second device and delivering it there- IIO to, &c., it being understood that as each device is brought into operation and mail delivered to and received therefrom it will be moved entirely out of the way of the next car, so that the receiving and delivering devices on the car and at the station may be exactly the same in construction and relative positions.

My invention has herein been shown and described as adapted for receiving mail-bags from and delivering the same to inail-cars; but I do not wish to be restricted to such uses. It will be evident that only slight modifications of the receiving-jaws are necessary in order to adapt the device for receiving and delivering other packages-as, for instance, newspaperpackages or express packagesfrom moving trains. The principle of operation will be the same, and the device may be used with equal advantage for mail-packages or express-packages as for mail-bags.

The device herein set forth, embracing the receiving and discharging mechanism for packages or mail-bags organized in one construction, whereby the operation of one is affected by the operation of the other, is of great importance,for the reason that it greatly simplies the receiving and discharging device. Moreover, the receiving and discharging device being organized in one construction is more convenient in use than where two different and independently-acting devices are employed.

A further and important advantage arising from the use of the construction described is that it is contained within a small compass and may bereadily inclosed, as illustrated in the drawings. The packages discharged from said device and received thereby may therefore be protected from the elements and do not require such close attention by the agent having charge of the same as where the receipt and delivery of such packages are eX- posed to the inclemencies of the weather. I/Vith the use of said device, therefore, the agent is not required to so closely watch the arrival of trains from which packages are to be received or to which they are to be delivered, but may place the package to be delivered to the train on the device at his leisure and remove the package received by said device from the train at a time most convenient.

The construction'and arrangement of the receiving device on the car herein shown and described are of considerable importance, as the receipt of. the package upon the train is entirely automatic and does not' require the attention of the person having the same in charge. Moreover, said construction and arrangement permit the receipt of packages to the car without the necessity of having the main door open. j

While I have herein shown what I consider to be a practical and in some respects a desirable embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be restricted to such construction, eX-

cept as hereinafter' made the subject of speciiic claims.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with a receiving device adapted toreceivea package from a passing car, and a discharging device, of connections between said devices whereby, when a package is received by the receiving device from a passing car, the discharging device is brought into position to deliver a package to said car, and a brake mechanism applied to said device to retard the movement thereof.

2. A package receiving and discharging device comprising an upright post, and receiving and discharging arms pivoted to the upper end thereof at right angles to each other and rigidly connected together.

3. A package receiving and discharging device comprising an upright post, receiving and discharging arms pivoted to the upper end thereof at right angles to each other, and means for locking said arms to the posts.

4. A package receiving and discharging device comprising an upright post, receiving and discharging arms pivoted to the upper end thereof and adapted to be brought alternately into operative position, a notched disk rigid with the upper end of said post and a dog connected with said arms and adapted for engagement with the notches of'said disk.

5. A package receiving and discharging device comprising an upright post, receiving and discharging arms pivoted to the upper end thereof and adapted to be brought alternately into operative position, a notched disk rigid with the upper end of the post, a dog on the receiving-arm adapted for engagement with the notches of said disk, and means for actuating said dog which are'operated when a package is received by the receiving-arm from a passing car.

6. A package receiving and discharging device comprising an upright post, receiving and discharging arms pivoted to the upper end thereof and connected together, receiving-jaws on the outer end of said receivingarm, and means operated when a package is received between the jaws from a passing car to swing the receiving-arm out of its operative position and the discharging-arm into its operative position.

7. A package receiving and discharging device comprising an upright post, receiving and discharging arms pivoted to the upper end thereof and connected together, a notched disk rigid with the post, a dog on the receiving-arm adapted for engagement with the notches of the disk, receiving-jaws connected with the outer end of the receiving-arm, and

means operated when a package is received by said jaws to release said dog from engagement with the disk and swing the parts out of and into their operative positions respectively.

8. A package receiving and discharging device, comprising an upright post, receiving IOO IIO

and discharging arms pivoted to thc upper end thereof and adapted to be brought alternately into operative position, a disk rigid with the upper end of the post, and a springpressed dog on the receiving-arm adapted to engage the notches of the disk and a lever connected with the dog and adapted to be oscillated when a package is received from a passing car.

9. A package receiving and discharging device, comprising an upright post, receiving and discharging arms pivoted to the upper end thereof and adapted to be brought alternately into operative position, a notched disk rigid with the upper end of the post, a springpressed dog on the receiving-arm adapted for engagement with the notches of said disk, receiving-jaws on the outer end of said receiving-arm and a lever located between said receiving-jaws and connected with said dog.

10. A package receiving and discharging device comprising an upright post, receiving and discharging arms pivoted to the upper end thereof, and connections between said arms which operate when one of the arms is swung out of its operative position to swing the other arm into its operative position.

11. A package receiving and discharging device comprising an upright post, receiving and discharging arms pivoted to the post adapted to be brought alternately into operative position, receiving-jaws on the outer end of said receiving-arm, one of which is pivoted to the arm and the other of which is rigid therewith, a notched disk rigid with the upper end of the post, a dog on the receiving-arm adapted for engagement with the notches of the disk and a tripping-lever between said jaws which is connected with the dog.

12. A package receiving and discharging device comprising an upright post, receiving andA discharging arms connected with each other and pivoted to the post, receiving-jaws on the outer end of said receiving-arm, one of which is stationaryT with the arm and the other ot' which is pivoted thereto to move toward and away from the stationaryarm,a spring applied to hold said pivoted jaw in engagement with the stationary jaw, a notched disk rigid with the upper end of the post, a dog on the receiving arm adapted for engagement with the notches of the disk, and a tripping-lever between said jaws which is connected with the dog.

13. A package receiving and discharging device comprising an upright post, receiving and discharging arms pivoted to the post adapted to be brought alternately into operative position, receiving-jaws on the outer end of said receiving-arm, one of which is rigid with the arm and the other of which is pivoted thereto, a notched disk rigid with the upper end oi' the post, a dog on the receivingarm adapted for engagement with the notches of the disk, and a tripping-lever between said jaws and connected with the dog, said lever being provided on its forward end with a contact-plate against which the package strikes when received from the passing car.

14C. A package receiving and discharging device comprising an upright post, receiving and discharging arms pivoted thereto and connected together, a notched disk rigid with the upper end of the post, a dog on the receivingarm and adapted for engagement with the notches of said disk, means operated when a package is received from a passing car to release said dog from one of the notches and to swing the receiving-arm out of its operative position and the discharging-arm into its operative position, a spring applied to said dog to hold it in engagement with the notchesand means for adjusting the tension of said spring.

15. A package receiving and discharging device comprising an upright post, receiving and discharging arms pivoted thereto and connected together, a notched disk rigid with the upper end of the post, a dog on the receivingarm adapted for engagement with the notches on the disk, means operated when a package is received from a passing car to release said dog from one of the notches and swing the receiving-arm out of its operative position and the discharging-arm into its operative position, the periphery of said disk between said notches being made eccentric to the post.

16. A package-receiving device comprising a pivoted arm, a disk rigid with the pivot provided with two circumferentially-separated notches, a dog connected with the arm adapted for engagement with one of said notches when the arm is in operative position, and means for releasing said dog from said notch whereby the arm may be swung out of its operative position when a mail-bag is received thereby and bring the dog in engagement with the other notch.

17.l A package-receiving device comprising a pivoted arm,a disk rigid with the pivot of the arm, a dog connected with the arm adapted for engagement with the notches of the disk, and means for releasing said dog from the disk whereby the arm may be swung out of its operative position when a package is received by said arm, said disk being constructed to constitute, in connection with said dog, a brake to retard the movement of the arm.

18. A package-receiving device comprising a pivoted arm, a notched disk rigid with the pivot of the arm, a dog connected with the arm adapted for engagement with the notches of the disk, means for releasing said dog from the disk whereby the arm may be swung out of its operative position when a mail-bag is received by said arm, a spring applied to the dog to hold it in engagement with the said notches, and means for adjusting the tension of said spring, said disk being constructed to aiiord a brake to retard the movement of the arm.

19. A package-receiving device comprising a pivoted arm, a disk rigid with the pivot of the arm and provided in its circumference with two notches, a dog on the arm adapted IOO IlO

for engagement with either of said notches, and means operated when a package is received by said device to release the dog from the notch engaged thereby and to swing the arm out of its operative position, the periphery of said disk between said notches being made eccentric to the pivot of the arm.

20. A package-receiving device comprising a pivoted arm provided on its outer end with a pivoted jaw and a stationary jaw, between which the package is received, and means for holding the pivoted jaw yieldingly in contact with the stationary jaw, said jaws diverging from each other both inwardly and outwardly from their point of contact.

2l. The, combination with a receiving device comprising a pivoted arm,means forlocking the said arm in its operative position and means for releasing it from its operative position and swinging it in its inoperative position when a mail-bag is received thereby, of a discharging device comprising two vertically-swinging arms connected with the receiving device in a manner to be brought into its operative position when the receiving device is moved out of its operative position, said arms being adapted to be swung into horizontal positions for engagement with the opposite ends of packages to be delivered to the passing car and away from each other in vertical positions when not in use.

22. The combination with a car, provided with a sliding door which is provided with an opening which is closed by a swinging door or leaf, of a package-receiving device which is adapted to receive packages from a stationary discharging device and to deliver the same to the interior of the car through said swinging door or leaf.

23. The combination with a car, of a receiving device comprising an arm which is pivoted to the door-jamb of the car and provided on its outer end with receiving-jaws adapted to engage the package, means for locking the arm in its operative position, means operated by engagement of the package with the receiving mechanism for releasing the locking mechanism and swinging the end of the arm and the package carried thereby into the interior of the car, and a brake mechanism for said arm embracing an eccentric part between the arm and its pivot.

24. The combination with a car, provided with a sliding door and provided with an opening which is closed by a swinging door or leaf, of a package-receiving device comprising an arm pivoted to the door-jamb and having on its free end receiving-jaws, means for locking said arm in its operative position and means operated by the engagement of the package with the receiving mechanism to release the locking mechanism and to swing the outer end of the arm and the package carried thereby into the interior of the car through said swinging door. l

25. The combination with the receivingand discharging arms of a receiving and discharging device, and a common pivot for the arms, of connections between said arms which are operated when a package is received from a passing car by the receiving-arm to bring the discharging-arm into its operative position, and an inclosure for said device which incloses the discharging-arm when the receiving-arm is in its operative position and into which the receiving-arm, and the package carried thereby, is automatically moved when the package is delivered from the passing car to the receiving-arm.

26. The combination with a receiving device and discharging device comprising an upright post, and receiving and discharging arms pivoted to said post and which receiving and discharging arms are arranged at right angles to each other, of an inclosure for such device within which the receiving and discharging arms are adapted to be alternately moved.

27. The combination with a receiving and discharging device, comprising an upright post and receiving and discharging arms pivoted to the upper end of the post, which receiving and discharging arms are located at right angles to each other, of an inclosure for said device, which incloses the discharging-arm and the package carried thereby when the receiving-arm is in position to receive a package from a passing car, and means for automatically swinging the receiving-arm and the package received thereby into the inclosure and the discharging-arm into its operative position which is operated by the delivery of the package from the car to the receiving-arm.

28. The combination with receiving and discharging arms which are adapted to be brought alternately into operative position, and which are pivoted to a common pivot, of a brake mechanism embracing an eccentric part between said arms and pivot.

29. The combination with receiving and discharging arms which are adapted to be brought alternately into operative position, of a spring-pressed dog for holding said arms in their operative position, and a brake for retarding the movement of said arms embracing an yeccentric part in engagement with saidl dog.

1n testimony that I claim the foregoing as my inventionIafX my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 30th day of September,

CHARLES E. HUXLEY. l/Vitnesses:

TAYLOR E. BROWN, WILLIAM L. HALL.

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